Hi guys, hope one of you can help me. I have a 96 SE with 80K miles on it. Earlier this year, when I started my car my O/D light started blinking and the car started to shift very rough - especially from 1-2 and 2-3. I took it to the dealer and over the last 6 months they have replaced:
- ECU
- Dropping resistor
- Solenoids in the tranny (last week)

The problem still continues. I took it to the dealer 2 days ago because the problem re-surfaced and they couldn't find anything wrong with it. The error code they are getting (and I verified it from a diagnosic on this forum) is:
10th flash longer than others = "Line pressure solenoid circuit is shorted or disconnected"

The dealer is now telling me that my TCU could be going bad and he actually had the shamelessness to tell me start looking for good deals on other cars! I don't think anyone would want to give me a good price for a car with it's MIL light on and I don't want to get rid of my Maxima yet - it only has 80K on it!

Please help!!!!

 

Try and find a junked max and grab the TCU from it. That may have been your problem all along.

The TCU is located in the center console sort of to the left and down from where the radio is. You might be able to see it it you look upwards from the ECU/Gas pedal area into the console.

 

njmaxseltd - thank you for your quick reply...

the TCU was the first thing they replaced (in Jan) and they found out that it didn't solve the problem.. so they replaced the ECU and then a dropping resistor..

does this new info help any?

 

i don't understand why they replaced hte ecu.
this thread might help http://test.maxima.org/showthread.ph...lenoid+circuit

 

kevlo911, the thread you sent seems to be a case where someone lost their OD.. in my case the OD works fine.. it's only when I start the car, that the light blinks about 10 times.. the check engine light is ON.. and the shift from 1-2 and sometimes from 2-3 are rough.

as for the ECU, i thought the experts would know... so i didn't question them. it seemed to fix it for a couple of months. the last instance when the replaced the solenoids was when the problem reappeared within a week.

 

Sounds like the solenoids are to blame here.

 

Check the Transmision Oil.......

 

yes the thread i gave you also said something about hte tranny fuild, what code is the the ecu is giving out

 

1205?? It looks similar to this thread:
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?threadid=237935

I just couldn't figure out too much from the solutions suggested..

 

i had a similar problem. My OD light would start flashing a fewtimes (never counted it) and then disappear. My check engine light would stay on. One difference was that i was getting 2 errors:

- signal from speed sensor to TCU
- speed sensor

I changed my speed sensor, but it didnt fix the problem. It turned out to be the speedometer. Supposely there is a TSB on this and its known to happen in 97's, but i am not sure about a 96. This happened to me around 90,000 or so miles.

cost me $450 bucks!